{{Infobox television | image = | caption = | genre = Comedy drama | writer = Steve Edge
Matt King | creator = | director = Matt Lipsey
Tony Dow | starring = Brendan Coyle
Lesley Sharp
Steve Edge
Matt King
Alan Williams
Rebecca Night
Ukweli Roach
Finn Atkins
[[John Dagleish] Tony Ayton | company = Baby Cow Productions | country = United Kingdom | language = English | camera = | runtime = 60mins (inc. adverts) | network = Sky 1 | first_aired = 13 May 2012 | last_aired = 20 August 2013 | num_series = 2 | num_episodes = 16 | list_episodes = #Episodes }} Starlings is a British comedy-drama written by Steve Edge and Matt King who also play the roles of Fergie and Uncle Loz. It was shown on Sky 1. In September 2013, Sky1 announced it was cancelling the show after two seasons. [1]
Terry and Jan Starling have been happily married for many years, living in Matlock, Derbyshire. They have three children. Their eldest, Bell, is in her early 20s and is pregnant by her boyfriend Reuben. Graham, known as Gravy, has left school but is currently unemployed. Charlotte, known as Charlie, is the youngest, and works with Terry in his capacity as a self-employed electrician. other members of the family include Terry's elderly father, Bill, and Jan's nephew Fergie. In the first episode the family meet Lawrence, known as Loz, for the first time. He is Bill's long lost son, and therefore Terry's half brother.
Actor/Actress | Character |
---|---|
Brendan Coyle | Terry |
Lesley Sharp | Jan |
Steve Edge | Fergie |
Matt King | Loz |
Alan Williams | Grandad |
Rebecca Night | Bell |
Ukweli Roach | Reuben |
Finn Atkins | Charlie |
John Dagleish | Gravy |
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Ratings [2] | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Episode One" | Matt Lipsey | Steve Edge & Matt King | 995,000 | 13 May 2012 | |
Terry and Jan Starling prepare for two new additions, including daughter Bell's baby, who is born in a birthing pool located in the living room. | ||||||
2 | "Episode Two" | Tony Dow | Steve Edge & Matt King | 760,000 | 20 May 2012 | |
Charlie joins her father's electrical business and has to cope with a hectic schedule of appointments, her first task being to work her charm on the company's elderly clients. Meanwhile, Reuben searches for a job, Gravy ponders an exciting new venture, and the family rallies around Uncle Loz as he makes his debut at a local art exhibition. | ||||||
3 | "Episode Three" | Tony Dow | Steve Edge & Matt King | 457,000 | 27 May 2012 | |
Jan decides to enter a short-story competition, but is forced to contend with a number of distractions, including Grandad, who is acting more strangely than usual after doubling up on his arthritis medication. Meanwhile, Bell returns to work on a less-than-glamorous photoshoot, Uncle Loz considers living in a house for Buddhists, and Gravy gets a new girlfriend. | ||||||
4 | "Episode Four" | Matt Lipsey | Steve Edge & Matt King | 466,000 | 3 June 2012 | |
Gravy tries to sample independence when Jan grows concerned about his lifestyle, worrying that her eldest son will live with her for ever. Meanwhile, Terry is forced to face the fact that Charlie is growing up when she goes on her first date, Bell and Reuben's relationship begins to blossom, and Loz and Fergie enter the Monster Machine Extravaganza at a local agricultural show. | ||||||
5 | "Episode Five" | Tony Dow | Steve Edge & Matt King | 413,000 | 10 June 2012 | |
Fergie finds himself behind bars after losing his patience in a traffic jam, and Loz has a reunion with his younger brother Lee, who wants him to attend a combat event in Nottingham. Meanwhile, Terry makes plans to defeat his quizzing rival Brian Valentine, Jan dreads attending book club and Grandad goes on a date. | ||||||
6 | "Episode Six" | Matt Lipsey | Steve Edge & Matt King | 447,000 | 17 June 2012 | |
Terry and Jan celebrate their anniversary, but plans to hire a personal chef and have a candlelit bath go awry. Meanwhile, Fergie, Loz, Grandad, Gravy and Charlie embark on a disastrous camping trip, compounded by sprained ankles, poor navigational skills and Grandad's failure to remember to record the Antiques Roadshow. | ||||||
7 | "Episode Seven" | Tony Dow | Steve Edge & Matt King | 418,000 | 24 June 2012 | |
Loz's thrill-seeking new girlfriend causes tension between him and Ferg, and threatens to distract the duo from their new business venture - retro taxis. Meanwhile, Bell and Reuben seek relationship advice from a counsellor and Charlie catches the eye of a football scout at a match. | ||||||
8 | "Episode Eight" | Matt Lipsey | Steve Edge & Matt King | 558,000 | 1 July 2012 | |
The death of an old friend visiting from Australia hits Grandad hard, causing the rest of the shocked family to make some big decisions. Terry tries to get Belle and Reuben back together, but Reuben has a new girlfriend, Lou Lou. Fergie drops a bombshell on Loz, announcing he's going on his travels again. |
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Ratings [2] | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Episode One" | Philippa Langdale | Steve Edge & Matt King | 335,000 | 2 July 2013 | |
Jan enrols on a creative writing course, but gets more than she bargained for when the tutor takes an extracurricular interest in her. Meanwhile, daughter Charlie is forced to reconsider her future following an accident on a building site. On a lighter note, Gravy and Grandad search the garden for buried treasure, while Reuben needs to ask Bell a big question - so he ropes in Fergie and Loz to help. | ||||||
2 | "Episode Two" | Philippa Langdale | Steve Edge & Matt King | 334,000 | 9 July 2013 | |
Stephen's interest in Jan grows during a class trip, Bell clashes with her mother-in-law and grandad's pal introduces him to internet dating. Fergie launches a new venture - an organic campsite - with Lol and Gravy on hand to help, while Terry's attempt to finish Rodney's restaurant isn't made any easier by the ex-footballer's inability to make up his mind. | ||||||
3 | "Episode Three" | Tony Smith | Steve Edge & Matt King | Under 310,000 | 16 July 2013 | |
Jan reminds Terry of a promise he made years ago about getting a vasectomy once the kids were older - but that was a long time ago. However, a more pressing concern awaits when he meets her tutor, Stephen, for the first time. Fergie tags along with Loz on a staff night, only to realise he has already crossed paths with headteacher Judith, emotions run high when Charlie opens up to Grandad and Gravy has an epiphany regarding his dead-end job. | ||||||
4 | "Episode Four" | Tony Smith | Steve Edge & Matt King | Under 387,000 | 23 July 2013 | |
Terry, Grandad and Loz embark on a fishing trip, but any hopes of quiet relaxation are ruined by a bout of seasickness, one too many glasses of rum and a flooded boat engine. However, it does allow Loz to get a few long-held feelings off his chest. Fergie opens his new site, only to run into trouble with a couple of unhappy campers, while Jan doesn't like the idea of Charlie buying her first car and Gravy makes a grand gesture to help a friend in need. | ||||||
5 | "Episode Five" | Sam Donovan | Steve Edge & Matt King | Under 322,000 | 30 July 2013 | |
Jan heads off on another class outing to a picturesque hotel, tasked with writing something worthwhile. However, the assignment is the last thing on her mind as she challenges tutor Stephen over the attention he's been giving her. Meanwhile, poorly husband Terry gets his gladrags on for the opening of Rodney's Bistro, and Grandad decides that internet dating isn't for him after all. Gravy and Coggie gather evidence to prove they're a couple, while Loz starts to feel increasingly uncomfortable about Fergie and Judith's history together. | ||||||
6 | "Episode Six" | Sam Donovan | Steve Edge & Matt King | Under 302,000 | 6 August 2013 | |
The family is rocked by the unexpected arrival of Fergie's estranged mum Sandra - and it soon becomes clear that mother and son have some issues to sort out. Jan shuns Gravy over his impromptu engagement and gives Charlie a piece of her mind because of her newfound interest in motorbikes - and her mood tumbles even further when Terry tries to persuade her to consider the move to Majorca. Grandad turns down a dancing date with Molly, while Reuben fails to make the most of his time alone with Bell. | ||||||
7 | "Episode Seven" | Sam Donovan | Steve Edge & Matt King | Under 363,000 | 13 August 2013 | |
Jan and the rest of the family are worried about Terry, who is acting moody and distant in the wake of his medical emergency. However, he is soon jolted back to life when Steven sneaks by the house to drop off a book of poetry - leading to a confrontation with his wife's tutor. Things appear to be getting serious between Grandad and Molly when she asks him to move in, a run in the park leads to an awkward encounter for Reuben and Bell, and Loz asks Fergie a big favour to increase his chances of getting a permanent job at the school. | ||||||
8 | "Episode Eight" | Sam Donovan | Steve Edge & Matt King | Under 336,000 | 20 August 2013 | |
Reuben and Bell's big day arrives but soon runs into problems when the groom suffers terrible nerves and then gets locked in. So while Terry, Fergie and Loz rally round to get him to the church on time, Jan does her best to ensure her daughter is kept in the dark about what's going on. Meanwhile, Grandad bumps into Molly's ex-husband and an enlightening chat with Coggie helps Gravy reach a huge decision. |
The first series of Starlings was released on DVD on 9 July 2012. [3]
Laura Elizabeth Metcalf is an American actress and comedian. Known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen, she has received various accolades throughout her career spanning more than four decades, including four Primetime Emmy Awards and two Tony Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and three Golden Globe Awards.
Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group. Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non-terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, it became Sky One and broadcast exclusively in the United Kingdom and Ireland as British Sky Broadcasting's flagship channel. It existed until 1 September 2021, when it closed down as part of a restructuring with its EPG position taken by Sky Showcase and much of its content library moved to Sky Max.
Freaks and Geeks is an American teen comedy-drama television series created by Paul Feig and executive-produced by Judd Apatow that aired on NBC during the 1999–2000 television season. The show is set in a suburban high school near Detroit during 1980–81. The theme of Freaks and Geeks reflects "the sad, hilarious unfairness of teen life". With little success when it first aired, due to an erratic episode schedule and conflicts between the creators and NBC, the series was canceled after airing 12 out of the 18 episodes. The series became a cult classic, and Apatow continued the show's legacy by incorporating the actors in future productions.
Baby Cow Productions Limited is a British comedy television production company based in London and Manchester, founded by Steve Coogan and Henry Normal. Since its establishment it has diversified into radio, animation and film. According to their website, Baby Cow "produces bold, high-quality scripted entertainment across all genres for television, film and radio." The company's name is a reference to Coogan's early characters Paul and Pauline Calf.
Karl Pilkington is an English presenter, actor, voice-artist, producer and author.
Matt King is an English actor, DJ and comedian currently residing in Brighton. He is best known for his role as Super Hans in the British sitcom Peep Show.
Terry Pratchett's Hogfather is a 2006 two-part British Christmas-themed fantasy comedy television miniseries adaptation of Hogfather by Terry Pratchett, produced by The Mob, and first broadcast on Sky1, and in High Definition on Sky1 HD, over Christmas 2006. First aired in two 1.5-hour episodes on 17 and 18 December 2006 at 20:00 UTC, it was the first live-action film adaptation of a Discworld novel. In 2007, the two episodes were rerun on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day respectively on Sky One and Sky1 HD.
Steve Edge is an English actor, writer and former stand-up comedian. He is most famous for his work on Starlings, Phoenix Nights, The Cup, The Visit, Peep Show, Benidorm, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, and the satirical magazine show Star Stories.
Pal Aron is a British television and theatre actor from Birmingham, England, known for his roles as Adam Osman in Casualty, Brandon Kane in The Bill, Jayesh Parekh and Sonny Dhillon in Coronation Street.
Spirited is an Australian television supernatural comedy-drama series made for subscription television channel W that aired for two seasons, 2010 and 2011.
Haven is a supernatural drama television series loosely based on the Stephen King novel The Colorado Kid (2005). The show, which dealt with strange events in a fictional town in Maine named Haven, was filmed on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, and was an American/Canadian co-production. It starred Emily Rose, Lucas Bryant, Nicholas Campbell and Eric Balfour, whose characters struggle to help townspeople with supernatural afflictions and protect the town from the effects of those afflictions. The show was the creation of writers Jim Dunn and Sam Ernst.
An Idiot Abroad is a British travel documentary comedy television series broadcast on Sky One, as well as a series of companion books published by Canongate Books, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and starring Karl Pilkington. The ongoing theme of both the television series and the books is that Pilkington has no interest in global travel, so Merchant and Gervais make him travel while they stay in the United Kingdom and monitor his progress.
Little Crackers is a British Christmas comedy-drama that was broadcast on Sky1. It consists of a series of short films featuring stars of British and Irish comedy, including Stephen Fry, Catherine Tate, Chris O'Dowd, Kathy Burke, Victoria Wood, and Bill Bailey. According to Sky Television, the show marked the start of their biggest investment in British comedy during Sky1's twenty-year history. The success of the first series led Sky to renew the show for a second series, which began airing on 18 December 2011. The comedians involved in the second series included Harry Hill, Sheridan Smith, Sanjeev Bhaskar, John Bishop, Shappi Khorsandi and Jack Whitehall.
Mad Dogs is a British psychological thriller television series, written and created by Cris Cole, that began airing on Sky1 on 10 February 2011, and ended on 29 December 2013 after four series and 14 episodes. It is produced by Left Bank Pictures, and co-produced by Palma Pictures. The series stars John Simm, Marc Warren, Max Beesley, and Philip Glenister as four long-time and middle-aged friends getting together in a villa in Majorca to celebrate the early retirement of their friend Alvo. After Alvo is murdered, the group find themselves caught up in the world of crime and police corruption.
Mount Pleasant is a British comedy-drama which first aired on Sky 1 on 24 August 2011. The show moved to Sky Living in 2012, before moving back to Sky 1 in 2015. The show ended in a 90 minute special on 30 June 2017.
Parents is a British sitcom starring Sally Phillips as Jenny Pope, a middle-class woman in her forties who moves, along with her husband and their teenage son and daughter, from London, to live with her parents in Kettering. The show ran for one series, broadcast on Sky 1 from 6 July to 3 August 2012. On 5 March 2013, Sky confirmed that Parents would not return for a second series.
Sinbad is an action-adventure fantasy family saga television series that aired on Sky1 from 8 July to 23 September 2012. It was produced by Impossible Pictures, the same company who made Walking with Dinosaurs and Primeval. The series stars Elliot Knight as the eponymous hero Sinbad.
Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death is British comedy-drama television film based on the 1992 novel of the same name by M. C. Beaton. The film aired on Sky1 on 26 December 2014. It served as a pilot to a full series entitled Agatha Raisin.
Agatha Raisin is a British comedy-drama television series, based on M. C. Beaton's book series of the same name about a former PR agent who solves crime mysteries in the Cotswolds village of Carsely.